# How do I clean leather?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-clean-leather/333040
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [November 28, 2005, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-clean-leather/333040 "2005-11-28T08:40:08Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2005, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-clean-leather/333040/1 "2005-11-28T08:40:08Z")
As anyone who is following my SDMB exploits would know, I recently acquired a leather jacket. Due to certain inadequacies on my part, it got dirty. (More like dusty, but difficult-to-remove dust). I’ve heard that I shouldn’t use water to clean it because it will make it smell bad. Is there truth to this?
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### Author:  [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2005, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-clean-leather/333040/2 "2005-11-28T14:37:55Z")
Water is bad for leather, not because of the smell, but because it makes the fibers of the leather swell and loosen. Over time, that will make the leather break down.
I work in a museum. We occasionally clean leather with water, but the way we do it is to put a tiny bit of water on a rag: “As damp as a dog’s nose” is the way my curator instructs us. Rub the soil very gently. If the dirt doesn’t loosen immediately, or the spot starts getting wet, stop.
I don’t have any experience with leather-cleaning chemicals. We don’t use any commercial solvents because they leave behind residue which can be damaging over time, but these are antiques, not modern stuff which has a limited life-span.
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2005, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-clean-leather/333040/3 "2005-11-28T16:01:29Z")
I’ve sent mine to professional cleaners in the past. Water will stain leather, so I don’t recommend it. There are cleaning agents for leather upholstery out there that you might try.
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### Author:  [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2005, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-clean-leather/333040/4 "2005-11-28T16:52:10Z")
What sort of leather is it?
“Roughout” or suede? Stop. Do not pass Go. Find a professional leather cleaner. Ask the leather shops in your area and go to whoever gets the most recommendations. Suede is really easy to screw up at home. Usually, what I’ve seen is people use the wrong stuff on it, and the nap is permanently flattened, leaving the item blotchy or even shiny.
If it’s a smooth finished leather, try to find [Apple products.](http://www.applepolishes.com/applepolishes/prodinfo.htm) Lexol will do in a pinch. Do be aware that Apple won’t darken leather very much, if at all. Lexol will darken light leather significantly.
I used to go through Apple by the gallon. Happily, you can buy much smaller bottles of it.
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### Author:  [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2005, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-clean-leather/333040/5 "2005-11-28T21:07:56Z")
Well, it’s not suedey. It’s kinda bumpy, so I’ll assume the first.
Leather shops? Hah, I wish. I live in a small southern Arkansas town.
And finally, gallons of leather cleaner? Do I want to know? I’ll answer that. Yes. Elaborate.
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### Author:  [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2005, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-clean-leather/333040/6 "2005-11-28T21:37:28Z")
Not [saddle soap](http://www.properautocare.com/leatmytofsad.html).
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### Author:  [@robcaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robcaro)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2005, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-clean-leather/333040/7 "2005-11-28T21:38:46Z")
Saddle soap is what I have always used for my shoes and jackets (not suede.) It works well and softens the leather.
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### Author:  [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2005, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-clean-leather/333040/8 "2005-11-28T23:10:40Z")
> [@chaoticbear](#):
>
> And finally, gallons of leather cleaner? Do I want to know? I’ll answer that. Yes. Elaborate.
So long ago, that it seems like a former life, I made a meager living as a tailor specializing in mens’ motorcycle leathers and other more exotic items.
Whether it was cleaning off the ink marks used when drawing out the patterns or just getting dirty in the shop (Hey! Who spilled coffee on my workbench!) or repairs to existing garments, there’s a lot to clean up.
Needless to say, we went through stuff in industrial-size quantities.
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### Author:  [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2005, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-clean-leather/333040/9 "2005-11-29T05:26:10Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#):
>
> So long ago, that it seems like a former life, I made a meager living as a tailor specializing in mens’ motorcycle leathers and other more exotic items.
I’ve been meaning to get some money saved up and go visit one of these people. I keep spending it on computer parts, though.
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### Author:  [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2005, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-clean-leather/333040/10 "2005-11-29T06:00:38Z")
Cows [according to Jerry Seinfeld]: Let us in! It’s raining and we’re all wearing leather!